1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of various image processings through electric handling of image information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are already widely employed copiers as means for reproducing original images, and facsimile apparatus as means for transmitting original images to distant locations. Currently available copiers are capable, in reproducing the original images, of producing copies in the same size as or in larger or smaller size than that of the original images. Also they are capable of changing the image density over the entire reproduced image if such image density change is required. Such image processing functions are however often unable to meet the requirements of the users.
On the other hand there has been proposed a copier provided with additional image processing functions such as reproducing only a part of the original image, synthesizing plural images and changing the image density only in a part of the original image by means of converting the original image into electrical signals and applying suitable processes to the image information thus transformed into electrical signals. Such diversified functions of the copier however leads inevitably to a complicated structure and a complicated copying operation, giving rise to a longer image processing time.
Facsimile apparatus is only designed to transmit the original image to a distant location through a telephone line, and a suitable copier is additionally required in case copying is necessary in addition to image transmission. Also since such facsimile apparatus lack any image editing function, manual editing work, requiring considerable labor and time, is indispensable if the transmission is to be made after image editing. Furthermore the facsimile apparatus often requires a high operating cost as telephone lines have to be utilized even in so-called short-distance communications within a factory or a building.